The 800 horsepower winged outlaw sprint cars featuring the top drivers from Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Michigan will return to close out the racing season at La Salle Speedway on Sunday, September 26, 2010 when Interstate Batteries of Central Illinois will proudly present the Bill Waite, Jr. Memorial Outlaw Sprint Car Race.  Associate sponsors are Central Illinois Trucks, Inc., a truck sales and service group in Peru and five other Illinois locations, and the Phoenix Group, an insurance provider, with offices in Illinois, including Peru, and Iowa and Wisconsin.

Bill Waite, Jr. was a lifelong Illinois Valley resident and businessman.  Bill started his racing career in karts as a child moving into stock cars in the 1980’s and sprint cars from 1990-2004.  Bill competed throughout the Midwest mainly in the Interstate Racing association (IRA), Great Lakes Outlaws Sprints Series (GlOSS) and Midwest All Stars Series (MASS).  Bill retired from racing to manage the family towing and auto repair business in Cherry, Illinois.  He was killed on the job in 2008 on I-80 helping a stranded motorist.

The outlaw sprint cars will be sanctioned by the Bumper to Bumper Interstate Racing Association, and as of this date, will be next to the last point’s race for the series.  Supporting classes will include the UMP Modifieds and the UMP Hornets.  The purse for each division has been added to by the sponsors with several thousand dollars.  The IRA sprints will have a $16,000 purse, $3,000 to win and $300 to start.  The UMP Modifieds will race for UMP points, $5,000 purse, $800 to win and $125 to start.  The UMP Hornets will race for UMP points, $300 to win and $50 to start.

The event will start in the late afternoon with pit gates open at 1:00 p.m., grandstands at 3:30, hot laps at 4:30 and racing at 6:00.  Admission will be:  Adults $16, pit gate $30, high school students (with ID) $5, and age 13 and under with paying adult—FREE.  Individual skyboxes (now only 4 available) (seating for 15) and individual skybox seats may be reserved (only 60 seats available) by contacting PACE Promotions (see information below). Skybox seats may be available on race day if not sold out. 

                For further information:  ; PACE Promotions: 630-279-3006; IRA Series: 815-759-9269 and the IRA Series website: www. irasprints.com. other questions and comments: e-mail address at pace85@att.net.

Saturday June 19th LaSalle Speedway will be having a $5.00 fan appreciation night along with a 4-Cylinder Special. Presented by JEFF PERRY Buick-Pontiac Cadillac Gmc Trucks

Come out and see the drivers whip around the super fast dirt oval. UMP Late Models, UMP Modifieds, Street Stocks, and UMP 4-Cylinders will all be in action Saturday night.

Pit Gates open at 4:30pm, Grandstand open at 5:00pm , Qualifing at 7:00pm, and Racing starting at 7:30pm. Adults $5, Children 11 and under free, Skybox seating $12 with Pit Passes costing $25.

4-Cylinders $250 to win, $50 to start.  25 Laps.

*** Due to their actions on 6-10-2010 the following are suspended from the LaSalle Speedway until further notice:

Allen Provenzano- 4-Cylinder car #5

John Provenzano- 4-Cylinder car #6p

Tony Provenzano- Street Stock car #16p

Tony Provenzano – Car owner

Mike Provenzano uses dads bag of tricks in showdown; Balensiefen sweeps the Mods

By: Betty Glynn

La Salle, IL – Saturday night at La Salle Speedway it was a father and son duel. Veteran racer Lil’ John Provenzano has been a familiar sight on dirt tracks for forty years. His son on the other hand may not have raced as many years but he has been there watching his father since he was very little. Mike Provenzano has obviously been taking notes on his fathers driving style.

Twenty-four UMP Late Models took their spots on the starting grid with Keith Piano and Lil’ John on the front row ahead of Rich Bell and Mike Provenzano. Scott Schmitt and John Piccatto were partners in the third row.

Once the green flag dropped, Lil’ John fired up to the point but a caution for Nick Fratt slowed the pace. During the first lap, another yellow was thrown after Schmitt skimmed the infield tire of turn three sending his ride into the wrong direction. Lake Knutti had nowhere to go but slid slightly into him.

Schmitt went to the tail of the pack but it wasn’t long before he was powering his way back into a top ten run. Due to several cautions in the rear of the field, the battle up front was not able to get rolling into the half way marker of the race when Mike Provenzano took the outside line of his dad putting the pressure on.

They battled side by side until Mike stole the lead during the eleventh circuit. Piano and Bell were too far back to make a challenge. The Provenzano patriarch was not giving in so easily. He took his machine to the outside line but just didn’t have enough to make it around his son.

A caution during Lap 14 brought the entire field back to a single file restart with Mike leading Lil’ John, Bell, Piano, Jimmy Partipilo, Schmitt and Piccatto. Once the flagman signaled green, it was the beginning of an exciting battle for the lead. For the next five laps, Lil’ John worked hard to bring his ride into a nose to nose battle taking back the point at the end of Lap 21.

Lapped traffic was the biggest player when Lil’ John got caught up behind slower traffic and Mike knew just where to power into the lead. With two laps left the younger Provenzano grabbed the helm for the final time leaving his father as the runner up.

“I know his (Lil’ John) tricks, Mike Provenzano admitted after the race. “I learned from the best.”

Bell took home third place while a side by side battle of Piano and Schmitt was still going for the last lap all the way to the line. Piano placed fourth in front of Schmitt, Partipilo, Piccatto, Matt Ramer, Ed Williams Jr., Aaron Schmidt, Joe Fratt, Jon Small, Travis Mahoney, Don Knippenberg, and Eric Rebholz.

Piano qualified the quickest lap with a time of 13.262. He also went on to win the fastest heat over Lil’ John, Bell and Mike Provenzano. Randy Manos won the second heat contest with Rebholz, Todd Alexander and Gary Hunt crossing the line after him. Schmidt took the third heat victory with Joe Fratt, Justin Rutledge and Lake Knutti in tow.

Nathan Balensiefen was at the top of his game and swept the twenty two UMP Modifieds. First up he traveled the fastest lap with a time of 14.585 over Travis Kohler’s quickest time of 14.773.

After passing Kohler during the fifth lap of the heat, Balensiefen powered away to the checkers. Vince Cooper stole second in the final lap ahead of Kohler and Dale Lueth. Phil Line flew solo to win the second preliminary race with Brad Stewart, Steven Brooks and Kevin Thompson behind him. Tom Knippenberg beat Tim Loomis, Mike Marden and Don Cole for the third and final heat.

Before the first lap could be recorded, second place starter Vince Cooper was off the pace and left the field. A caution of two cars in the tail stuck together like glue kept the infield officials and tow truck workers busy trying to pry them apart.

Once the action was well underway, it was Balensiefen pulling away from the pack leaving Lueth to fend off Stewart. During Lap 13, it was quite apparent that the fastest machine on the highbanks was driven by Balensiefen and he was unstoppable.

Balensiefen led the twenty lap main event flag to flag to return to victory lane. Line took second ahead of Stewart, Brooks, Kohler, Lueth, Joe Adam, Knippenberg, Derrick Doerr, Justin McCoy and Thompson.

A first lap caution in the UMP Street Stock feature event could have been made even worse after the field stayed heavy on the gas and racing long after the yellow light was illuminated for Justin Hamm. Hamm’s start didn’t go as planned when he found himself hanging upside down in his flipped over ride.

Last weeks winner, Brandon Maciejewski, was leading the pack with Mike Hughes in a lower line when he went too high and tagged the outside retaining wall. His journey to the top of the track cost him four running positions. Hughes led for a couple of laps until Roger Rickels took command.

Rickels won without a close competitor while Hughes had to fight for second against Maciejewski. Hughes managed to put his nose across the line second with Maciejewski third over Mike McKinney, Rick Koltveit, Nick Sell, Randy Lucas, and Kevin Snowberger.

Snowberger won the first heat race over Kolveit, Steve Lewis, and Sell. Maciejewski beat Hughes, Rickels, and McKinney in the second heat.

Allen Provenzano took the UMP Hornet division with a double play. He won both his heat and their main event. Starting on the pole of the feature he quickly moved into a strong lead with JR Brown trailing over Phil Burdette.

By Lap 8, Brown was putting on the pressure as they rounded the turn three corner. Brown moved into the lead but not before there was contact between the leaders. Provenzano put on a slick move to steal back the lead.

Brown finished second ahead of Burdette, Rick Zifko, Jerry Legner, John Provenzano, Freddy Thatcher, Shannon Mudro, Asa Robart and Andy Schwarko.

Zifko won the second heat

La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results

UMP Late Models – 24 Cars

Qualifying: Keith Piano 13.262 Rich Bell 13.302

Heat #1: Keith Piano, Lil’ John Provenzano, Rich Bell, Mike Provenzano

Heat #2: Randy Manos, Eric Rebholz, Todd Alexander, Gary Hunt

Heat #3: Aaron Schmidt, Joe Fratt, Justin Rutledge, Lake Knutti

Feature: Mike Provenzano, Lil’ John Provenzano, Rich Bell, Keith Piano, Scott Schmitt, Jim Partipilo, John Piccatto, Matt Ramer, Ed Williams Jr., Aaron Schmidt, Joe Fratt, Jon Small, Travis Mahoney, Don Knippenberg, Eric Rebholz, Mike Locke, Lake Knutti, Jeff Small, Todd Alexander, Randy Manos, Gary Hunt, Nick Fratt, Mike Glynn, Scott Langer

UMP Modifieds – 22 Cars

Qualifying: Nathan Balensiefen 14.585, Travis Kohler 14.773

Heat #1: Nathan Balensiefen, Vince Cooper, Travis Kohler, Dale Lueth

Heat #2: Phil Line, Brad Stewart, Steven Brooks, Kevin Thompson

Heat #3: Tom Knippenberg, Tim Loomis, Mike Marden, Don Cole

Feature: Nathan Balensiefen, Phil Line, Brad Stewart, Steven Brooks, Travis Kohler, Dale Lueth, Joe Adam, Tom Knippenberg, Derrick Doerr, Justin McCoy, Kevin Thompson, Mike Marden, Tim Loomis, Jeramie Johnson, Don Cole, Allen Line, Wally Forsythe, Geno Hewitt, DJ Werkmeister, Vince Cooper, Paul Smith

UMP Street Stocks – 19 Cars

Heat #1: Kevin Snowberger, Rick Koltveit, Steve Lewis, Nick Sell

Heat #2: Brandon Maciejewski, Mike Hughes, Roger Rickels, Mike McKinney

Feature: Roger Rickels, Mike Hughes, Brandon Maciejewski, Mike McKinney, Rick Koltveit, Nick Sell, Randy Lucas, Kevin Snowberger, #02, Ande Bivens, Matt Ramer, John Hogue, Donny Allen, Jay Mesarchik, Danny Deutsch, Tim Provenzano, Steve Lewis, Jake Miller, Justin Hamm

UMP Hornets – 11 Cars

Heat #1: Allen Provenzano, JR Brown, Phil Burdette, Freddy Thatcher

Heat #2: Rick Zifko, Asa Robart, Jerry Legner, John Provenzano

Feature: Allen Provenzano, JR Brown, Phil Burdette, Rick Zifko, Jerry Legner, John Provenzano, Freddy Thatcher, Shannon Mudro, Asa Robart, Andy Schwarko

Schmitt dialed in the perfect set up; Griffaw out runs field

By: Betty Glynn

La Salle, IL – Tonica’s Scott Schmitt had a good thing going on the low side of the high banks at La Salle Speedway Saturday night. His ability to dodge trouble and use the inside line to work his way through the field earned him his first feature victory of 2010.

Twenty-eight racers signed in for the UMP Late Model action with a field of twenty making the main event. Ryan Unzicker and Keith Piano were positioned at the front of the line up grid with defending points champion Mike Provenzano and Schmitt in row two. Rich Bell and Lil’ John Provenzano rolled up in the third row. Without a doubt this was going to be an exciting feature race.

Proven to be the fastest two cars were Unzicker holding the pole next to Piano but the speedsters didn’t get an opportunity to strut their stuff for even a whole lap. Coming off the second turn, contact with Mike Provenzano and Unzicker stole the opportunity for a potentially great race between the top six contenders. Unzicker and Provenzano’s tangle sent a domino effect rippling through the front runners. Unzicker and Piano suffered the most damage retiring both rides by the end of the first lap.

With the two out, Mike Provenzano took over the pole with Schmitt as his front row partner ahead of Bell and Lil’ John Provenzano. Mike Provenzano was quick to take the lead but Schmitt was already looking for his opportunity for the point by the end of the second lap. A side by side battle was short lived between the pair after Schmitt cruised around the leader coming off turn two in the second lap.

Schmitt never had a challenge for the lead as he traveled under lapped traffic and away from the competition. The battle for second place was left between Mike Provenzano, Bell and Lil’ John Provenzano. It didn’t take the veteran racer Lil’ John long to find his niche and pull away for a strong runner up finish.

Schmitt’s solo journey boasted a great deal of real estate between him and second place. Schmitt’s consistent effort sent him to victory circle with Lil’ John claiming the runner up position ahead of Bell , and Mike Provenzano. Jimmy Partipilo started the twenty-five lapper in ninth on the grid but managed to work his way up the pack for a fifth place finish in front of Kyle Madison, Randy Manos, Matt Schultz, Jon Small, and Jimmy Dehm.

Unzicker scored the fast heat victory with Piano close in second. Mike Provenzano collected third over Schmitt. Ed Williams Jr. won the second heat contest ahead of Small, Travis Mahoney and Brian Locke. Dehm took the checkers in the third heat ahead of Manos, Aaron Schmidt and Schultz. Eric Rebholz won the semi-feature race.

Thirty-five UMP Modified drivers were in attendance for their division. Rusty Griffaw took home the first heat race win ahead of Vince Cooper, McKay Wenger and Dale Lueth. Robert Pohlman Jr. claimed the second heat win ahead of Matt Gremmenger, Mike Spatola and Darcy Wey. Nathan Balensiefen looked like a rocket ship as he powerfully took the third heat race checkers away from Joe Adam with Shawn Scriptor and Jeremy Johnson crossing the line behind him. Justin McCoy won the final heat over Matt Barker, Darrell Lowe and Allen Line. Mike Porth won the semi feature event.

Griffaw and Cooper were at the top of the starting grid ahead of Wenger and Lueth followed by AJ Dixon and Brad Stewart. It took a couple of tries to get a pace rolling but once the pack did it was all Griffaw controlling the field. At times he led with more than a half a track distance between him and his fellow competitors.

There wasn’t much of a race for the lead with Griffaw sailing his way around the oval. The contest was not in the front but there was action with a few rides moving up the field. One such ride was driven by Pohlman who journeyed his way from tenth place into the fourth place running position with five laps un-scored.

Griffaw finished the race uncontested with Wenger holding on to second place in front of Cooper, Pohlman, Balensiefen, Stewart, Spatola, Lueth, Phil Line, McCoy, and Adam.

Young gun Brandon Maciejewski stole the show during the events he raced in the Street Stock class. He came out strong winning his heat in front of Nick Sell, Matt Ramer and Nick Clubb. Steve Lewis drove fast and furious to win the second preliminary race over Jake Miller, Timmy Provenzano, and Jeff Siemmens. Rick Koltveit won the final heat over Terri Simmons, Jamie Balensiefen and Randy Lucas. Eric Gaus won the consi race.

Maciejewski was an unstoppable force in the fifteen lap feature event. He carried the torch like an Olympic champion. Lewis claimed second ahead of Koltveit, Sell, Balensiefen, Mike Hughes, Siemmens, Roger Rickels, Ramer, Laura Jackinowski, Jay Hamilton, Eric Gaus, and John Houge.

Sixteen UMP 4 Cylinders showed up race ready. Phil Burdette kicked off the night with a heat race win in front of Jerry Legner, Asa Robart, Freddie Thatcher. Rick Zifko won the other heat over Alan Provenzano, Anna Cain and Shannon Mudro.

Anna Caine put on a Lightning McQueen style performance after she drove up the retaining wall’s concrete surface bouncing back onto the softer clay without missing a beat. She managed to keep her nose heading in the right direction and racing.

Burdette was all alone from the fourth lap scored. He managed to hold on to a generous lead until the checkered flag was dropped. Robart took home second for the second week in a row. Zifko finished third infor of Jerry Legner who beat Thatcher, Andrew Sharwarko, and Rick Wagner.

Next Saturday night, the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series will make a grand return to the track for the $10,000 to win Spring Shootout. In addition to the Late Model class, the UMP Modifieds,  Street Stocks and UMP 4 Cylinders will be competing as well.

La Salle Speedway Scoreboard Results May 15, 2010

UMP Late Models – 28 Cars

Qualifying: Ryan Unzicker 12.83

Heat One: Ryan Unzicker, Keith Piano, Mike Provenzano, Scott Schmitt

Heat Two: Ed Williams Jr., Jon Small, Travis Mahoney, Brian Locke

Heat Three: Jimmy Dehm, Randy Manos, Aaron Schmidt, Matt Schultz Semi Feature: Eric Rebholz, Jon Small, Mike Marden, Karl Hayes

Feature: 1. Scott Schmitt, 2. John Provenzano, 3. Rich Bell, 4. Mike Provenzano, 5. Jimmy Partipilo, 6. Kyle Madison, 7. Randy Manos, 8. Matt Schultz, 9. Ed Williams Jr., 10. Steve Pastva, 11. Aaron Schmidt, 12. Jon Small, 13. Jimmy Dehm, 14. Jeff Small, 15. Travis Mahoney, 16. Eric Rebholz, 17. Brian Lock, 18. Ryan Unzicker, 19. Keith Piano

UMP Modifieds – 35 Cars

Heat One: Rusty Griffaw, Vince Cooper, McKay Wenger, Dale Lueth

Heat Two: Robert Pohlman Jr., Matt Gremmenger, Mike Spatola, Darcy Wey

Heat Three: Nathan Balensiefen, Joe Adam, Shawn Scripter, Jeremy Johnson

Heat Four: Justin McCoy, Matt Barker, Darrell Lowe, Allen Line

Semi Feature: Mike Porth, Jeremy Johnson, Dave Porth, Travis Kohler, Darcy Wey, DJ Werkmeister, Tom Knippenberg, Geno Hewitt, Allen Line, David Wagner

Feature: 1. Rusty Griffaw, 2. McKay Wenger, 3. Vince Cooper, 4. Robert Pohlman Jr., 5. Nathan Balensiefen, 6. Brad Stewart, 7. Mike Spatola, 8. Dale Lueth, 9. Phil Line, 10. Justin McCoy, 11. Joe Adam, 12. Matthew Gremmenger, 13. Steven Brooks, 14. Matt Barker, 15. Shawn Scripter, 16. Mike Porth, 17. Jeremy Johnson, 18. Darrell Lowe, 19. AJ Dixon, 20. Derick Doerr

Street Stocks – 25 Cars

Heat One: Brandon Maciejewski, Nick Sell, Matt Ramer, Nick Clubb

Heat Two: Steve Lewis, Jake Miller, Timmy Provenzano, Jeff Semmens

Heat Three: Rick Koltveit, Terri Simmons, Jamie Balensiefen, Randy Lucas

Semi Feature: Eric Gaus, Roger Rickels, Alex Clubb, Tony Provenzano, Ande Bivens, Jackinowski, Ben Gallentine

Feature: 1. Brandon Maciejewski, 2. Steve Lewis, 3. Rick Koltveit, 4. Nick Sell, 5. Jamie Balensiefen, 6. Mike Hughes, 7. Jeff Siemmens, 8. Roger Rickels, 9. Matt Ramer, 10. Laura Jackinowski, 11. Jay Hamilton, 12. Eric Gaus, 13. John Houge, 14. Ricky Wilson, 15. Mike McKinney, 16. Terri Simmons, 17. Nick Clubb, 18. Jake Miller, 19. Tim Provenzano, 20. Randy Lucas

UMP Hornets – 16 Cars

Heat One: Phil Burdette, Jerry Legner, Asa Robart, Freddie Thatcher

Heat Two: Rick Zifko, Alan Provenzano, Anna Cain, Shannon Mudro

Feature: 1. Phil Burdette, 2. Asa Robart, 3. Rick Zifko, 4. Jerry Legner, 5. Freddie Thatcher, 6. Andrew Sharwarko, 7. Rick Wagner, 8. John Provenzano, 9. Anna Cain, 10. Harold Reiter, 11. Shannon Mudro, 12. Chuck Johnson, 13. Alan Provenzano, 14. Aaron Sutton, 15. Josh Larson

LaSalle Speedway will be back in action this Saturday night May 15th. Come out and see the drivers whip around the super fast dirt oval. UMP Late Models, UMP Modifieds, Street Stocks, and UMP 4-Cylinders will all be in action Saturday night.

Pit Gates open at 4:30pm, Grandstand open at 5:00pm with Racing starting at 7:30pm. Adults $10, Children 11 and under free, Skybox seating $12 with Pit Passes costing $25.

*Reminder: In just 2 weeks the Lucas Oil dirt series will be back in town racing for $10,000 to win.